Chapter 128: The Power of Ghost and God

After a moment’s thought, Lin Yu downloaded the various sword techniques Lin Lie had uploaded.

But before he could begin studying them, Lin Lie sent a group invitation.

【Lin Lie: I’m ready!】

【Lin Lie: Are you free now?】

【Su Haoming: In such a hurry?】

【Lin Lie: There’s less than a week left—I’m naturally anxious!】

Lin Yu thought for a moment and replied, “I’m fine.”

【Lin Lie: Good, then I’ll invite you now!】

In an instant, the familiar invitation popup appeared in the group chat.

Lin Yu recalled his avatar, clicked accept, and stepped through the portal.

……

……

Marvel Universe, Manhattan, New York, Malton Hotel.

Though only a four-star hotel, its location was excellent, near Washington Square Park and New York University, surrounded by numerous bars and cafés—a popular choice among tourists.

But Lin Lie, being a wealthy heir, found a mere four-star hotel beneath his status.

He chose to stay here primarily because it was in Lower Manhattan; just four blocks south lay the famed Brick Street.

In Marvel films and comics, it was explicitly stated that the New York Sanctum stood at 177A Brick Street.

After checking into the Malton Hotel, Lin Lie had visited Brick Street countless times but never found the Sanctum, unsure what he had done to offend the Sorcerer Supreme to be treated this way…

Fortunately, the group chat had a universally recognized expert who might solve his current problem.

Gazing at the sudden silver portal before him, Lin Lie’s face lit up with anticipation.

The next second, a handsome young man in modern casual attire stepped out, glanced around the room, then lowered his head, raising his right hand to stare at his empty palm.

In an instant, brilliant blue light burst from his palm, coalescing into a hexagonal magical barrier.

Seeing the remarkably stable magical particles, the young man frowned, dismissed the barrier, and instead summoned Qi-light, shaping it into amber-gold radiance along his entire arm.

It can also be done?!

“Is this the Marvel Universe?”

The young man murmured in wonder, “Truly all-encompassing!”

In this world, all his abilities functioned without hindrance.

Not only the magic and Qi he had just displayed, but even his original self’s status and authority seemed to stir faintly.

Sensing this, Lin Yu’s face broke into a satisfied smile.

He had now encountered many worlds, but most felt cramped, as if squeezed into a confined space.

In contrast, this chaotic Marvel world gave him a sense of stretching out his body—clearly, its energy level was extraordinarily high…

As he thought this, Lin Yu raised his head and looked at Lin Lie, who stared in astonishment.

“You must be Lin Lie.”

“Yes.”

Lin Lie snapped back to reality, stepped forward, extended his left hand warmly, “Brother Lin, finally met you!”

Lin Yu smiled and shook his hand, his gaze casually sweeping over the young man.

As his eyes passed over the young man’s right arm hanging at his side, Lin Yu’s gaze sharpened, pausing for an instant.

That instant was fleeting—too brief for Lin Lie’s perception to catch.

The next moment, Lin Yu released his hand with calm expression, smiling, “You’re the second person since Xiao He to invite me on your first day in the group!”

“Oh?”

Lin Lie’s eyes brightened eagerly, “Is Brother He the transmigrator from Yi Ren Zhi Xia?”

Lin Yu nodded. “Correct.”

Lin Lie asked curiously, “I’ve seen many Qi-cultivation methods in the group files, even a few of the Eight Marvel Techniques uploaded—could the golden light you just used be the Golden Light Spell of the Longhu Mountain Tian Shi Sect?”

“Something like that.”

“Wait, can you even say ‘something like that’?”

“The Golden Light Spell is fundamentally a method to enhance life and nature cultivation; the golden light itself is merely an accidental byproduct of cultivation. Theoretically, any cultivator who aligns themselves to the ‘correct’ state can produce similar golden light—though their control will be far less refined than the Golden Light Spell!”

“I see!”

Lin Lie understood fully.

Lin Yu, intrigued, sensed the unknown energy within him and suddenly spoke: “Your Qi cultivation talent is good—you might try guiding forth the Primordial Qi. You could gain unexpected rewards…”

“Really?”

Lin Lie thought for a moment, then nodded, “I’ll follow your advice and give it a try when I have time!”

Lin Yu smiled, “Don’t listen to me—it’s just an offhand remark… Also, since we both share the surname Lin, stop calling me ‘Brother Lin.’ Pick a title that won’t cause confusion.”

Lin Lie, too, found the term awkward.

After a moment’s thought, he cheerfully agreed, “Then I’ll call you Brother Yu!”

Brother Yu?

Lin Yu’s expression turned peculiar, but he nodded, “Fine.”

He walked to the suite’s window, gazing outside with a smile, “When do we go see the Sorcerer Supreme?”

Lin Lie immediately grabbed the sword case on the bed and said bluntly, “We can go now.”

Lin Yu raised an eyebrow, glancing at him. “So eager to meet him?”

“Not exactly.”

Lin Lie shook his head. “I originally sought him to ally with Kamar-Taj against the New York battle, but now it seems the Sorcerer Supreme already knew my intent—yet for some reason, he refuses to see me.”

“I want to understand why—see if there’s some misunderstanding…”

Misunderstanding?

Lin Yu’s lips curled slightly as he glanced at the young man’s hanging right arm and chuckled, “If it’s just because of that, you don’t need to find the Sorcerer Supreme—I can answer you right now!”

“…”

Lin Lie froze, before he could react, a flash of silver light swept over him—and the world transformed utterly.

“Whoosh—”

The howling wind filled his ears.

Lin Lie’s pupils shrank—he was suddenly airborne, standing on an invisible barrier, surrounded by fierce gales.

And Lin Yu, who had merely waved his hand to teleport him, hovered two meters ahead, gazing calmly at his right arm:

“Since earlier, I’ve wanted to ask—what exactly is going on with this arm?”

What?!

He actually noticed?!

Lin Lie’s pupils trembled violently as he stared at Lin Yu in shock.

Before he could explain, an invisible force surged into his right arm.

Instantly, the air around Lin Lie’s arm twisted, his once-normal limb swelling violently, oozing torrents of blood-red energy brimming with madness.

His black sleeve exploded into fragments; grotesque crimson spread from his elbow toward wrist and shoulder.

The crimson muscles seemed alive, thrashing wildly to announce their birth to the world.

In an instant, Lin Lie’s entire arm swelled a full circle, becoming a monstrous, blood-red limb.

Yet the furious crimson energy remained unsatisfied, continuing to spread across his body.

Only when the crimson reached his wrist and shoulder base did two emerald-green engraved sealing rings suddenly materialize, radiating brilliant green light that blocked the crimson tide.

Seeing this, Lin Yu’s face showed surprise.

This shape… this power… why did it feel so familiar?

“Get… back!”

Lin Lie gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead as he struggled against something within his arm.

Lin Yu snapped back to attention, gazing at the crimson energy swirling around the arm, coldly ordered: “Didn’t you hear? Get out!”

Before the words ended, the violent crimson energy seemed struck by some terrifying force—and instantly shattered into fragments.

“…”

Lin Lie blinked, startled—the whispering voices in his mind vanished instantly. His pressure lifted drastically; it seemed the presence within his arm had truly been wounded by that simple command.

…What kind of power is this?!

Lin Lie couldn’t help raising his head, staring at Lin Yu in utter shock.

At that moment, Lin Yu raised his right hand, fingers splayed, gripping the arm firmly.

“Boom!”

Instantly, the two emerald sealing rings shattered into pieces.

Torrents of crimson energy surged from Lin Lie’s arm, rushing desperately toward Lin Yu’s palm.

In the process, space itself twisted and tore into narrow fissures.

Yet no matter how powerful the crimson energy, it offered no resistance before the seemingly ordinary handsome youth.

In mere seconds, all crimson energy left Lin Lie’s arm, converging in Lin Yu’s palm, finally solidifying into a crimson shard.

Simultaneously, Lin Lie’s right arm changed.

The crimson hue vanished entirely, replaced by a sickly pallor.

Lin Lie widened his eyes, unable to resist raising his pale right arm, only to find it suddenly light as air—each swing now left trailing phantom afterimages...

‘Ding—’

‘Congratulations, host! Obtained passive skill—[Phantom Hand]!’

[Phantom Hand (Soul Sword Exclusive Skill)]

[Skill Level: lvMax (Cannot Be Upgraded)]

[Skill Description: Even when corrupted by ghostly spirits, some resolute warriors refuse to submit to their power. After enduring immense agony, they use their iron will to expel the ghostly force and choose to wield a light blade, using the power of light to prevent the ghostly force from re-entering.]

[These swordsmen, who abandoned the ghostly force through sheer will, are known to the world as Soul Swords. But what they never expected was that the power of light also influenced them—this time, for the better...]

[Skill Effect: Greatly increases arm flexibility, boosts attack and casting speed; attacks have a chance to induce dizziness in enemies and greatly improve accuracy.]

‘So this is it!’

Lin Lie stared at his pale right arm, his expression deeply complex.

(End of Chapter)